I am the first legal red-skinned gringo on the moon - I like my titles... My titles are cool :)

You are my hero Kodi :) Maybe the funny letter this week will give you a boost. I remember the night I needed to send that giraffe to the girl I was asking out and you were frantically crocheting it for me.  You finished it all in few hours but you were going crazy :) hahahah brings a smile to me :) I love you and guarding you in my prayers :)

I am the first legal red-skinned gringo on the moon - I like my titles... My titles are cool :)

Ok I have a lot to tell you this week! :) Lunes after writing you we went and took pictures in baranca and on the way I found out some startling news… My companion believes Americans never made it to the moon! Laughing I asked someone sitting next to me and they replied with similar results! No one here believes we ever made it to the moon! Can you believe that! I mean of course we made it to the moon!

Anyway so Tuesday I got a call in the morning, I needed to hop the bus and take a 5 hour ride to Lima to... GET MY VISA :) That’s right! Peru likes me so much; they wanted to keep me :) I’m finally legal! So we got there around 11pm. and slept in the offices of the mission where there was only me, my companion and a secretary. At 1 in the morning a knock came on the door.  The secretary got up and answered.  I rolled over not caring but he came and tapped me and indicated he needed my help. I got out of bed and went down the stairs. When I opened the door, there stood a very lovely Gringa! Hermana missionary! She had tears in her eyes from crying.  Choking back her tears she took a look at my tag and said in perfect English. "Elder Grow, please help me" throwing her arms almost around me... I jumped back and I said what?! I was shocked, dreaming maybe.  I flipped on the lights and there she was sitting down crying.

I guess what happened is the CCM got her missions mixed up and sent her to the offices.  She isn’t yet able to speak Spanish couldn’t say anything and was really confused and worried.  I was the first person she had been able to talk to all night. So we sent her up to the beds where she almost fainted at the sight of a cockroach.  She crawled into bed sobbing. My companion and I went downstairs (a safe distance :) and called the President.  You can imagine he was just as surprised as I was when I told him there was a girl sleeping in my bed.  We sent her to the Hermana’s house and a guy (I guess they realized the problem) came soon after to pick her up… and then we all went back to bed :)

So running on NO sleep, I went to immigration that morning and took my Visa out; turned around and came home on the bus.

Jueves, we talked with a family who have been members for 10 years, active in the church and have just [picked a date to be] sealed in the Temple!

Viernes, we did some service all morning.  I was busting up a wall, while my companion took pictures :) It was really aggravating to be because I was ready with the sledge and shove and l just went to work and the very nice old guy next to me just kept saying, “slowly, slowly, you’re going to kill yourself! Slower, slower. :) It’s just a slower culture here, but I’m wielding a sledge! Just let me work! :)  After we finished, they offered to cook me dinner.  They were super in love with me because while digging, I dug up a rats nest full of the rats who had been eating there guinea pigs :)

We met a family contact that is actually married! Then we met another family who both have 100 years!!! They are so cute! He will sit there and yell "Pina!!, Pina!!" (pineapple is his nickname for her) and shell yell back "WHAT!".... "Nothing" he replies and he will smile :) Then we helped another family out with their tamales! We did tamales for 3 hours!

Sabado, we finished the service project.  While we were resting the kids came over and one accidently scratched me! In his amazement he started yelling and laughing because my skin turned red... uh yeah... The kids immediately attacked me! Everyone wanting to "dibuja el gringo" (draw on the white guy). I was bleeding a little bit when I finally broke free :) God has said the kingdom of God is like little kids but sometimes I have my doubts.

Domingo, we found 2 more families! The blessings of God are abundant! 5 married families! More than I have seen in my whole mission! The day started off with Semana Santa.  The Catholics lead a procession with Jesus on a donkey and with palm leaves.  They go into the Catholic Church where the donkey refused to enter.  Ha Ha!, it was a sight :) I’m also teaching classes of English.

Spiritually we got a message from the presidency of the area. They affirmed the messages of Conference - that hard times are to come and the earth can only get more wicked. They are telling everyone to read their Book of Mormon as a family every night for 15 minutes for protection. Even if they aren’t predicting bad things, the message is a good one, I think.  Hard times are sure to come but clothed in the power of God and righteousness, nothing can stand against us!

Elder Grow :)